0-10V Dimming
A commercial/architectural dimming standard that uses a separate low-voltage signal wire (0-10V) to control brightness. Common in offices, warehouses, and professional installations.
0-10V is a dimming protocol that separates the control signal from the power supply. Instead of chopping the AC waveform like a TRIAC dimmer, a 0-10V system sends a separate low-voltage DC signal (0 to 10 volts) to the LED driver, telling it how bright to be. 10V means full brightness; 0V means minimum or off.
This separation makes 0-10V inherently cleaner than phase-cut dimming. There's no waveform chopping, so there's no flicker, no buzzing, and no compatibility issues. The LED driver receives clean power and a clean control signal independently. It's the reason commercial buildings rarely have the dimming problems that plague residential installations.
The downside is complexity and cost. 0-10V requires an additional pair of control wires between the dimmer and each driver — on top of the normal power wiring. This is manageable in new construction but expensive to retrofit. For residential applications, the extra wiring usually isn't justified when a good trailing edge dimmer achieves similar results at lower cost.
Specifications
| Signal | 0V = off/minimum, 10V = full brightness |
| Wiring | Requires separate control wire |
| Common in | Commercial, industrial, architectural |
Related Terms
- LED Driver
A power supply that regulates current to LEDs, preventing flickering and enabling dimming. Every LED has one — either built into the bulb or as an external unit.
- Trailing Edge Dimmer
A dimmer type that cuts the trailing end of each AC wave cycle. Smooth, quiet, and compatible with most LED bulbs — the recommended type for LED dimming.
- PWM Dimming
A dimming method that rapidly switches LEDs on and off thousands of times per second. The ratio of on-time to off-time controls perceived brightness.